Thismanisreallyveryhandsome。Hetalksadmirably，andhasremarkableintellectualpower。Mydear，heisaveryBossuetinforceandpersuasivenesswhenheexplainsthemechanism，notonlyoftheSpanishtongue，butalsoofhumanthoughtandofalllanguage。HismothertongueseemstobeFrench。WhenIexpressedsurpriseatthis，herepliedthathecametoFrancewhenquiteaboy，followingtheKingofSpaintoValencay。
Whathaspassedwithinthisenigmaticbeing？Heisnolongerthesameman。Hecame，dressedquitesimply，butjustasanygentlemanwouldforamorningwalk。Heputforthallhiseloquence，andflashedwit，likeraysfromabeacon，allthroughthelesson。Likeamanrousedfromlethargy，herevealedtomeanewworldofthoughts。HetoldmethestoryofsomepoordevilofavaletwhogaveuphislifeforasingleglancefromaqueenofSpain。
“Whatcouldhedobutdie？“Iexclaimed。
Thisdelightedhim，andhelookedatmeinawaywhichwastrulyalarming。
IntheeveningIwenttoaballattheDuchessedeLenoncourt’s。ThePrincedeTalleyrandhappenedtobethere；andIgotM。deVandenesse，acharmingyoungman，toaskhimwhether，amongtheguestsathiscountry-placein1809，herememberedanyoneofthenameofHenarez。
VandenessereportedthePrince’sreply，wordforword，asfollows：
“HenarezistheMoorishnameoftheSoriafamily，whoare，theysay，descendantsoftheAbencerrages，convertedtoChristianity。TheoldDukeandhistwosonswerewiththeKing。Theeldest，thepresentDukedeSoria，hasjusthadallhisproperty，titles，anddignitiesconfiscatedbyKingFerdinand，whointhiswayavengesalong-standingfeud。TheDukemadeahugemistakeinconsentingtoformaconstitutionalministrywithValdez。Happily，heescapedfromCadizbeforethearrivaloftheDucd’Angouleme，who，withthebestwillintheworld，couldnothavesavedhimfromtheKing’swrath。“
Thisinformationgavememuchfoodforreflection。IcannotdescribetoyouthesuspenseinwhichIpassedthetimetillmynextlesson，whichtookplacethismorning。
DuringthefirstquarterofanhourIexaminedhimclosely，debatinginwardlywhetherheweredukeorcommoner，withoutbeingabletocometoanyconclusion。Heseemedtoreadmyfanciesastheyaroseandtotakepleasureinthwartingthem。AtlastIcouldendureitnolonger。
Puttingdownmybooksuddenly，IbrokeoffthetranslationIwasmakingofitaloud，andsaidtohiminSpanish：
“Youaredeceivingus。Youarenopoormiddle-classLiberal。YouaretheDukedeSoria!“
“Mademoiselle，“hereplied，withagestureofsorrow，“unhappily，IamnottheDucdeSoria。“
Ifeltallthedespairwithwhichheutteredtheword“unhappily。“Ah!
mydear，nevershouldIhaveconceiveditpossibletothrowsomuchmeaningandpassionintoasingleword。Hiseyeshaddropped，andhedarednolongerlookatme。
“M。deTalleyrand，“Isaid，“inwhosehouseyouspentyouryearsofexile，declaresthatanyonebearingthenameofHenarezmusteitherbethelateDucdeSoriaoralacquey。“
Helookedatmewitheyesliketwoblackburningcoals，atonceblazingandashamed。Themanmighthavebeeninthetorture-chamber。
Allhesaidwas：
“MyfatherwasintruththeservantoftheKingofSpain。“
Griffithcouldmakenothingofthissortoflesson。Anawkwardsilencefollowedeachquestionandanswer。
“Inoneword，“Isaid，“areyouanoblemanornot？“
“YouknowthatinSpainevenbeggarsarenoble。“
Thisreticenceprovokedme。SincethelastlessonIhadgivenplaytomyimaginationinalittlepracticaljoke。IhaddrawnanidealportraitofthemanwhomIshouldwishformyloverinaletterwhichIdesignedgivingtohimtotranslate。Sofar，IhadonlyputSpanishintoFrench，notFrenchintoSpanish；Ipointedthisouttohim，andbeggedGriffithtobringmethelastletterIhadreceivedfromafriendofmine。
“Ishallfindout，“Ithought，fromtheeffectmysketchhasonhim，“whatsortofbloodrunsinhisveins。“
ItookthepaperfromGriffith’shands，saying：
“LetmeseeifIhavecopieditrightly。“
Foritwasallinmywriting。Ihandedhimthepaper，or，ifyouwill，thesnare，andIwatchedhimwhilehereadasfollows：
“Hewhoistowinmyheart，mydear，mustbeharshandunbendingwithmen，butgentlewithwomen。Hiseagleeyemusthavepowertoquellwithasingleglancetheleastapproachtoridicule。Hewillhaveapityingsmileforthosewhowouldjeeratsacredthings，aboveall，atthatpoetryoftheheart，withoutwhichlifewouldbebutadrearycommonplace。Ihavethegreatestscornforthosewhowouldrobusofthelivingfountainofreligiousbeliefs，sorichinsolace。Hisfaith，therefore，shouldhavethesimplicityofachild，thoughunitedtothefirmconvictionofanintelligentman，whohasexaminedthefoundationsofhiscreed。Hisfreshandoriginalwayoflookingatthingsmustbeentirelyfreefromaffectationordesiretoshowoff。
Hiswordswillbefewandfit，andhismindsorichlystored，thathecannotpossiblybecomeaboretohimselfanymorethantoothers。
“Allhisthoughtsmusthaveahighandchivalrouscharacter，withoutalloyofself-seeking；whilehisactionsshouldbemarkedbyatotalabsenceofinterestedorsordidmotives。Anyweakpointshemayhavewillarisefromtheveryelevationofhisviewsabovethoseofthecommonherd，forineveryrespectIwouldhavehimsuperiortohisage。Evermindfulofthedelicateattentionsduetotheweak，hewillbegentletoallwomen，butnotpronelightlytofallinlovewithany；forlovewillseemtohimtooserioustoturnintoagame。
“Thusitmighthappenthathewouldspendhislifeinignoranceoftruelove，whileallthetimepossessingthosequalitiesmostfittedtoinspireit。Butifeverhefindtheidealwomanwhohashauntedhiswakingdreams，ifhemeetwithanaturecapableofunderstandinghisown，onewhocouldfillhissoulandpoursunlightoverhislife，couldshineasastarthroughthemistsofthischillandgloomyworld，lendfreshcharmtoexistence，anddrawmusicfromthehithertosilentchordsofhisbeing——needlesstosay，hewouldrecognizeandwelcomehisgoodfortune。
“Andshe，too，wouldbehappy。Never，bywordorlook，wouldhewoundthetenderheartwhichabandoneditselftohim，withtheblindtrustofachildreposinginitsmother’sarms。Forwerethevisionshattered，itwouldbethewreckofherinnerlife。Tothemightywatersofloveshewouldconfideherall!
“ThemanIpicturemustbelong，inexpression，inattitude，ingait，inhiswayofperformingalikethesmallestandthegreatestactions，tothatraceofthetrulygreatwhoarealwayssimpleandnatural。Heneednotbegood-looking，buthishandsmustbebeautiful。Hisupperlipwillcurlwithacareless，ironicsmileforthegeneralpublic，whilsthereservesforthosehelovestheheavenly，radiantglanceinwhichheputshissoul。“
“Willmademoiselleallowme，“hesaidinSpanish，inavoicefullofagitation，“tokeepthiswritinginmemoryofher？ThisisthelastlessonIshallhavethehonorofgivingher，andthatwhichIhavejustreceivedinthesewordsmayservemeforanabidingruleoflife。
IleftSpain，afugitiveandpenniless，butIhaveto-dayreceivedfrommyfamilyasumsufficientformyneeds。YouwillallowmetosendsomepoorSpaniardinmyplace。“
Inotherwords，heseemedtometosay，“Thislittlegamemuststop。“
Herosewithanairofmarvelousdignity，andleftmequiteupsetbysuchunheard-ofdelicacyinamanofhisclass。Hewentdownstairsandaskedtospeakwithmyfather。
Atdinnermyfathersaidtomewithasmile：
“Louise，youhavebeenlearningSpanishfromanex-ministerandamancondemnedtodeath。“
“TheDucdeSoria，“Isaid。
“Duke!“repliedmyfather。“No，heisnotthatanylonger；hetakesthetitlenowofBarondeMacumerfromapropertywhichstillremainstohiminSardinia。Heissomethingofanoriginal，Ithink。“
“Don’tbrandwiththatword，whichwithyoualwaysimpliessomemockeryandscorn，amanwhoisyourequal，andwho，Ibelieve，hasanoblenature。“
“BaronnedeMacumer？“exclaimedmyfather，withalaughingglanceatme。
Pridekeptmyeyesfixedonthetable。
“But，“saidmymother，“HenarezmusthavemettheSpanishambassadoronthesteps？“
“Yes，“repliedmyfather，“theambassadoraskedmeifIwasconspiringagainsttheKing，hismaster；buthegreetedtheex-grandeeofSpainwithmuchdeference，andplacedhisservicesathisdisposal。“
Allthis，dear，Mme。del’Estorade，happenedafortnightago，anditisafortnightnowsinceIhaveseenthemanwholovesme，forthathelovesmethereisnotadoubt。Whatisheabout？IfonlyIwereafly，oramouse，orasparrow!Iwanttoseehimalone，myselfunseen，athishouse。Onlythink，amanexists，towhomIcansay，“Goanddieforme!“Andheissomadethathewouldgo，atleastIthinkso。
Anyhow，thereisinParisamanwhooccupiesmythoughts，andwhoseglancepourssunshineintomysoul。Isnotsuchamananenemy，whomI
oughttotrampleunderfoot？What？Thereisamanwhohasbecomenecessarytome——amanwithoutwhomIdon’tknowhowtolive!Youmarried，andI——inlove!Fourlittlemonths，andthosetwodoves，whosewingserstborethemsohigh，havefluttereddownupontheflatstretchesofreallife!
Sunday。
Yesterday，attheItalianOpera，Icouldfeelsomeonewaslookingatme；myeyesweredrawn，asbyamagnet，totwowellsoffire，gleaminglikecarbunclesinadimcorneroftheorchestra。Henareznevermovedhiseyesfromme。Thewretchhaddiscoveredtheonespotfromwhichhecouldseeme——andtherehewas。Idon’tknowwhathemaybeasapolitician，butforlovehehasagenius。
Behold，myfairRenee，whereourbusinessnowstands，asthegreatCorneillehassaid。
MME。DEL’ESTORADETOMLLE。DECHAULIEU
LACRAMPADE，February。
MydearLouise，——Iwasboundtowaitsometimebeforewritingtoyou；
butnowIknow，orratherIhavelearned，manythingswhich，forthesakeofyourfuturehappiness，Imusttellyou。Thedifferencebetweenagirlandamarriedwomanissovast，thatthegirlcannomorecomprehenditthanthemarriedwomancangobacktogirlhoodagain。
IchosetomarryLouisdel’Estoraderatherthanreturntotheconvent；thatatleastisplain。SosoonasIrealizedthattheconventwastheonlyalternativetomarryingLouis，Ihad，asgirlssay，to“submit，“andmysubmissiononcemade，thenextthingwastoexaminethesituationandtrytomakethebestofit。
TheseriousnatureofwhatIwasundertakingfilledmeatfirstwithterror。Marriageisamatterconcerningthewholeoflife，whilstloveaimsonlyatpleasure。Ontheotherhand，marriagewillremainwhenpleasureshavevanished，anditisthesourceofinterestsfarmorepreciousthanthoseofthemanandwomanenteringonthealliance。
Mightitnotthereforebethattheonlyrequisiteforahappymarriagewasfriendship——afriendshipwhich，forthesakeoftheseadvantages，wouldshutitseyestomanyoftheimperfectionsofhumanity？NowtherewasnoobstacletotheexistenceoffriendshipbetweenmyselfandLouisdel’Estorade。Havingrenouncedallideaoffindinginmarriagethosetransportsofloveonwhichourmindsusedsooften，andwithsuchperilousrapture，todwell，Ifoundagentlecalmsettlingoverme。“Ifdebarredfromlove，whynotseekforhappiness？“
Isaidtomyself。“Moreover，Iamloved，andtheloveofferedmeI
shallaccept。Mymarriedlifewillbenoslavery，butratheraperpetualreign。Whatistheretosayagainstsuchasituationforawomanwhowishestoremainabsolutemistressofherself？“
TheimportantpointofseparatingmarriagefrommaritalrightswassettledinaconversationbetweenLouisandme，inthecourseofwhichhegaveproofofanexcellenttemperandatenderheart。Darling，mydesirewastoprolongthatfairseasonofhopewhich，neverculminatinginsatisfaction，leavestothesoulitsvirginity。Tograntnothingtodutyorthelaw，tobeguidedentirelybyone’sownwill，retainingperfectindependence——whatcouldbemoreattractive，morehonorable？